Golf club



Patented May 2Q, 1924,

- MMM esonera A. nlrrrnoo'rr, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GOLF CLUB.

Appiicatinn filed February 23,' 1922. serial no. matos.

To U17/whom it may concern Be it known that l. GnononA. liirrrN'co'r'r, n

a citizen ot the lvlnited States. residingat Philadelphia. in the county oi Philadelphia and State ot Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grolicl Clubs, of which the following is a spec'iiication.

This invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to van iniprovediconstrue tion and arrangement of the inserts employed to Aforni the striking tace ot al club.

The invention contemplates `providing the striking face ot a club with a .plurality ot` horizontal. rows'of recesses adapted to receive a corresponding number of solid inserls, said inserts being so arraiigedfthat the adjacent rows are staggered verticallyY with respect to each other in order that the wood ot'the striking tace ispractically eliminated or reduced to an area which is negligible so tar as striking contact with the ball is concerned.

The invention relates, further, to an improved method of securing and seating the inserts in the recesses formed in the striking tace of the club, which consists in rounding the bottom ot the inserts so that a lirni and solid seat is provided for the inserts, irrespective ot any slight difference in the boti toni contact surface ot the recesses or pockets; and in so forming the inserts that a tight and effective inibedding of the inserts in the club is secured, and one that will obviate the use oit retaining pins orlugs, and yet insure a rigid and uniform seating of the inserts in their pockets.

ln the drawings, of the head of a golf club showing inserts arranged in the striking .tace thereof.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, stantially on line 9f-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front view of a golt` club head showing the inserts in ycontact with each other.

Figure 4 is inserts.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals represent like parts in the several views, 10 indicates the wooden head of` a golf club, which, in the present instance, Jfor illustrative purposes is shown as a driver head, it being obvious that any other style Figure 1 is a front viewk a detail view of one of the of `club could have vthe `invention l applied thereto. y* ln `The usual weight l1. tormedfof lead, is imbedded in the rear portion of the head so as to increase the driving power ofthe club.

`The striking tace 12 ot the headis arp A ranged with a plurality of horizontal rows of recesses or pockets 13, the bottoms 14` of *whichv may vary in contour. Thegrows or recesses 13 lare'staggered vertically relative to each other so that when the solid inserts 15 aredriven into their pockets,y a striking face isv presented inwhich the iamount ot wood' exposed is reduced to a minimum.

Each ot the solid inserts 15 is formed with straight sides 16 and a curved bottom 17, as shown in Figure 4', so as'to insure afsolid and firm seating of the inserts in the recesses `13; the sideslG may be tapered or provided with rough edges so as to further assist in retaining the inserts in position. By providing the inserts with curved bottoms, the

inserts are at all times properly and unilformly seated 'in their respective seats, even though the bottoms 14 of the recesses are not entirely uniform. This form of insert obviates the use of screws or other addi# tional securing means usually employed for retaining the inserts to the striking face of clubs.

The rounded bottom 1T ot the insert will contact with the lhigh points in the bottom of the recess and take a tirm bearing so as to hold the insert `firmly, without the necessity ot tooling out the bottom of the recess to give it an exact lit to the insert.y This enables me to recess the `striking face of clubs and apply the inserts rapidly and without the careful reaming out of the bottoni of the recesses that'would otherwise be necessary.

Another advantage in having the inserts formed with curved bottoms is that in this particular construction, the inserts can be produced more economically and more expeditiously than. would be possible if each of the inserts had to be specially ground or shaped to lit the bottom of the recess, as would be necessary it the bottom of the recesses and inserts were flat. l

The inserts 15, which may be formed of any solid material, are preferably made from the shell mollusks and particularly that portion known as nacre this particular substance being selected as it has been :found to possess certain inherent properties that render it particularly suitable for s'uch use. Besides having' a very low factor of expansion and contraction7 nacre is also a substance that is impervious to moisture, and its fracturing point is high.

The head of the club l() beingmade of Wood is thoroughly driedbeforethe recesses are formed in the striking face and the inserts embedded therein, so that should 'the head absorb any moisture, and the Wood eX- y pand',` the inserts Awill be additional-ly secured and locked in their respective pockets.

In the 'enibodiment of the invention shown in Figure .85 the adjacent roivs of inserts are shown contacting with each other, so as to presenta stril'ing f'ace 'wherein the amount of; Woodfpi'esented is reduced to a sin'aller area than that shown in Figure l. While this arrangement is notas effective in operation when nacre inserts are employed, it has been found to b'e extremely desirable Where the inserts are formed of other solid metallic substances It is to be understood that the' torni of the invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that such minor changes in conv purpose specified.

2. A golf club having a. striking face providedwith a plurality ot horizontal rows of recesses, and nacre inserts having rounded inner ends embedded in said recesses 'lor the purpose specified.

3. A. golf: club having a striking face provided With a plurality of horizontal rows of recesses', solid inserts having rounded bottoms enrbed'ded in said recesses, and arranged so Vthat their adjacent rovvs are stagl gered relative to each other for the purpose specified.

4.' A goltl club having a striking tace provided with a plurality of horizontal rows of recesses, nacre inserts having rounded bottoms embeddedv in said recessesE and so arranged that their adjacent rows are stag'- gered relative to each other for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hav-nd.

GEORGE A. LIPPINCOT T. 

